CITY, COUNTY PREPARE FOR SCV POPULATION BOOM.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - The Santa Clarita Valley could be home to a projected 428,000 in 25 years - nearly a two-thirds increase - as city and county planners look to a mega-planning document intended to break the surging wave.

The valleywide general plan known as ``One Valley, One Vision'' is still a year away from when it could be considered for adoption by the city of Santa Clarita or Los Angeles County. But the authors of the joint document are ready to set ink to paper as part of Phase 4 after years of gathering data.

``The work we put in now will pay off exponentially in the next 25 years,'' Santa Clarita City Manager Ken Pulskamp told the City Council and planning commissioners at a joint meeting Tuesday.

With more than 69 percent of the region either built-out, pegged for development or covered by national forests and waterways, the joint city- county team intends to audit the remaining acreage and determine the best-suited use.

Among the environmental factors considered: ridgelines, ecology, oak habitats, fault zones, flood plains and mining resources.

``What we are looking at is how much change might (come), how we should shape growth for the future,'' said Elwood Tescher, director of EIP Associates, a Los Angeles consultant hired to compile the document. ``What we will have is a final planning strategy for the valley.''

The plan's boundaries stretch from Castaic south to the Newhall Pass, and from the Ventura-Los Angeles county line east to Agua Dulce. The area's population is projected to surge from 249,000 in 2005 to more than 428,000 in 2030 - more than half in unincorporated county territory.

In the meantime, area housing is expected to grow from 76,259 units to more than 137,400 units. Of the 61,000-plus increase, about 34,000 units are pending city or county approval.

Los Angeles County has less stringent land use codes compared with Santa Clarita, and officials with both agencies agree they must be on the same page to handle the coming tide.

Still, Councilman Bob Kellar hopes the more restrictive city codes will prevail.

``I'm hoping we don't have to liberalize our standards to come to medium,'' he said.

Councilwoman Laurene Weste, who has been critical of the project's lack of progress, insists the final plan must stick for both city and county.

``It comes down to ... can you institutionalize the requirements?'' Weste said. ``Is it a 'gentleman's agreement' kind of thing or is it going to be a law and mandated?''

County regional planner Andrew Malakates attempted to relieve skepticism of local leaders.

``Not all 100 percent will be adopted by both sides,'' he said, encouraging the agencies to strive for a medium.

``We haven't invited 200,000 people to come in the next 25 years. We're trying to do our jobs for when these people show up.''

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com